The assessment of river ecology and habitat using a two-dimensional hydrodynamic and habitat model

The assessment of river ecology is an integral part of river planning and management today. In any project, the simulation and quantification of river habitat and ecology is as important as the simulation of the hydrodynamics of the river. Currently in Taiwan, the use of one-dimensional models, such as Phabsim and Rhabsim, are widespread in the evaluation of river ecology and habitat. These models use data from the river cross-section and bed roughness coefficient to estimate habitat area. However, the use of these models is limited in small-scale or complex river conditions. This study applies a two-dimensional hydrodynamic and habitat model in combination with a continuous flow net to simulate topography and river dynamics. The 2-D model is used to estimate habitat area and its results are compared with the results of the 1-D model. Further analysis is given on the applicability and suitability of 2-D model use on small-scale or complex river conditions.